Aversion Therapy (Behaviourist)

Question 1

How the behaviourist approach is applied to Aversion Therapy: Blank Slate

Answer 1

• According to behaviourst approach, we are born as a blank slate, any behaviours are learned
• Unlike biological approach, addictions such as alcoholism, smoking or overeating have developed due to experience rather than having a biological or physical cause
• So Behavioursist believe we can ‘unlearn’ undesirable behaviour, and relearn a more appropriate one, = aim of AT

Question 2

How the behaviourist approach is applied to Aversion Therapy: We learn through Conditioning

Answer 2

• BA views addictive behaviour as being learnt through classical conditioning
• The thing we are addicted to starts of as neutral stimulus, and we come to associate it with a positive outcome (UCR) such as feeling good.
• AT aims to countercondition the person by creating a negative association with addictive source
• Operant conditioning then play a role. By avoiding the ting we were addicted to we avoid the unpleasant feeling (sickness) so maintaining an abstinence is negatively reinforced

Question 3

Components of Aversion Therapy: 1- Counter Conditioning

Answer 3

• Based on counter conditioning
• Client is presented with Aversive stimulus - causes a reaction of pain/ feeling sick
• This is repeatedly paired with the undesirable behaviour e.g alcohol/ gambling/ smoking
• Client now associates their undesirable behaviour with a new negative response so they now have an aversion for the behaviour

Question 4

Components of Aversion Therapy:

2- Covert Sensitisation

Answer 4

• Unique form of AT, less commonly used
• Client uses ethir imagination rather than being exposed directly to aversive stimulus
• Alcoholics imagine upsetting, repulsive or frightening scenarios
• Clients may often be asked to imagine scenarios that get progressively worse - e.g. being sick, being sick on someone else, falling, seriously hurting themselves whilst being drunk

Question 5

Components of Aversion Therapy: 3- Use of an aversive stimulus

Answer 5

• Newer development to treat addiction such as alcohol addiction
• Given drug called Antabuse, lasts a few hours
• Antabuse causes unpleasant symptoms e.g. sweating, heart palpitations, headaches within 10 mins of drinking alcohol
• Once a new conditioned association has been made between drinking alcohol & feeling sick, person will try to avoid such behaviours.
• By avoiding alcohol, you are rewarded as you have avoided the unpleasant symptoms of Antabuse.

Question 6

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Supporting research: Antabuse

POINT

Answer 6

P- There is research evidence to support the EFFECTIVENESS of Antabuse in treating alcohol addiction

Question 7

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Supporting research: Antabuse

EVIDENCE

Answer 7

E - Neiderhoffen and Staffen (‘03) compared Antabuse to a placebo and found hat Antabuse patients had a longer period of abstinence compared to placebo group

Question 8

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Supporting research: Antabuse

EXPLANATION

Answer 8

E- this suggests that the use of antabuse to provide the unpleasant stimuli is effective at treating serious addictions such as dependency on alcohol.

Question 9

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Supporting research: Antabuse

CONTRAST

Answer 9

C - may be that AT is more effective when used alongside other ‘talking’ therapies rather than alone

Question 10

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Supporting research: Rapid Smoking

POINT

Answer 10

P- There is evidence that the use of rapid smoking is effective treating addiction to cigarettes

Question 11

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy:Supporting research: Rapid Smoking

EVIDENCE

Answer 11

E - McRobbie (‘07) found that ppts in the rapid smoking condition showed a significant decrease in their urge to smoke in the 24 hours, and then the week after rapid smoking than a control group who watched an anti-smoking video

Question 12

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy:Supporting research: Rapid Smoking

EXPLAIN

Answer 12

E - this suggests rapid smoking is an effective unpleasant stimulus in using AT to break smoking addiction

Question 13

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy:Supporting research: Rapid Smoking

CONTRAST

Answer 13

C - 4 weeks later, there were no significant differences in the amount of smoking between the 2 groups, therefore the use of AT in this research may have only had short term benefits

Question 14

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Against research: Symptom Substitution

POINT

Answer 14

P - 1 important criticism of AT is that it eliminates the behaviour rather than treat the root cause

Question 15

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Against research: Symptom Substitution

EVIDENCE

Answer 15

E - the negative association may treat how the individual feels towards the focus of their addiction, but does not treat the underlying cause of their addiction

Question 16

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Against research: Symptom Substitution

EXPLAIN

Answer 16

E - this means that while the therapy may appear to successfully cure the person of that particular addiction, the underlying problem may re-occur in the form of a different addiction or some other undesirable behaviour (symptom substitution)

Question 17

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Long term benefits

point

Answer 17

P - Any ethical costs of AT can be justified by the long term benefits

Question 18

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Long term benefits

EVIDENCE

Answer 18

E - For example, breaking a serious addiction can bring benefits to the individual’s health, finances, and personal relationships

Question 19

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Long term benefits

EXPLAIN

Answer 19

E - This suggests that the benefits of this therapy outweigh any potential risks so it CAN be considered an ethical approach to therapy. Furthermore, those who are using AT will have given valid consent to take part in the therapeutic methods involved

Question 20

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Covert Sensitisation is a recent ethical development

POINT

Answer 20

P - more ethical forms of the negative stimuli (compared to Antabuse & rapid smoking) have been developed

Question 21

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Covert Sensitisation is a recent ethical development

EVIDENCE

Answer 21

E - Covert Sensitisation involved the person imagining dreadful scenarios that could occur when engaging in their addictive behaviour. For example, imagining feeling sick & vomiting when they feel the urge to drink

Question 22

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Covert Sensitisation is a recent ethical development

EXPLAIN

Answer 22

E - Kraft (‘05) suggests this is not only effective but far more ethical as it avoids the unpleasant reactions to substances such as Antabuse

Question 23

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Risk of harm

POINT

Answer 23

P - one ethical issue is that some of the methods used to create the negative association may pose a risk of harm

Question 24

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Risk of harm

EVIDENCE

Answer 24

E - Antabuse can have very negative and serious side effects when mixed with alcohol. These can include convulsions and heart palpitations. Rapid smoking is also unpleasant and can cause risks to health

Question 25

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Risk of harm EXPLAIN

Answer 25

E - this suggest that this therapy is unethical compared to alternative treatments for addictions such as CBT

Question 26

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Risk of harm CONTRAST

Answer 26

C- However it could be argued that these risks are justified in terms of the risks posed by alcohol or tobacco addiction. Without successful treatment, addicts are highly likely to experience risk of harm to their physical and psychological health.